As fate would have it, I had a few extra bucks in the “bank” (well, if you call a cigar box a bank), and thought I would try out the Jetboil PCS (Personal Cooking System) since there’s been lots of hoopla over it for a few years now. I’m not quick to change out gear, or buy gear just for the heck of it, but the Jetboil has really made some significant changes to the world of backcountry cooking. I guess I’d better see what all the fuss is about, huh?
Returning home with shiny new gear makes me feel like a kid at Christmas, and it was hard to resist the temptation to open the box and fiddle with the Jetboil on the drive home. But I held out, and upon my return I promptly took a series of pictures and began some initial testing.
Weighing in at a just under a pound, it’s not the lightest cooking system you can have, but it compensates for its heft by offering a great design and the promise of boiling water in mere moments. It boasts a 75 percent fuel efficiency, and uses a unique “Fluxring” heat exchanger to evenly distribute the heat across the entire bottom of the cup. You can fill the Jetboil with a liter of liquid, and there’s a nifty 2-cup mark inside for proper measurement. The neoprene cozy serves double-duty - keeping your hands from getting melted to the aluminum cup and trapping the heat inside where it belongs, in turn boosting the overall efficiency of the stove. The whole system stores neatly inside the 1-liter cup, making it a cinch to pack up and stow.
The Jetboil does exactly what it says it will do. Under normal conditions, it will boil 2 cups of water (enough for your gourmet ramen meal) before you can dig your lexan spork out of the bottom of your pack. Although finicky, simmering is possible with the Jetboil PCS, which means you can expand your backcountry menu from simple heat-and-eat items. So, is the Jetboil magic, or possibly possessed by some sort of ancient fire-breathing demon? Nope, sorry folks, no demons here - it’s just great design and technology hard at work.
So, is the Jetboil PCS the stove to rule all stoves? That depends. While it probably won’t make on your gear list for super-ultralight hikes, it is perfect for regular camping, day hikes, and paddling adventures. If you are shopping for a new solo cooking system, take a good look at the Jetboil PCS - it’s well-built, easy to operate, and makes meal time less of a fuss.
Visit Jetboil.com for detailed specs and where to pick one up for yourself.
Check out the gallery for pictures of the Jetboil PCS.
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